Chapter 551 - 420: Rebuilding "Black Stone City" and the Pragmatic Blazing Phoenix

The people’s sorrow and confusion were replaced by a flame called hope.

Just one day later, this vast expanse of ruins had transformed into a massive, vibrant construction site.

All the people of Black Stone Territory were mobilized.

Men, women, and even older children threw themselves into this unprecedented construction effort.

They cleared away charred wooden beams and carried off stone blocks that had melted and re-solidified. Though their faces still bore the marks of smoke and fire, their eyes burned with longing for a new home.

「Three days later.」

The construction of Black Stone City was already taking shape. The cleanup of the original wreckage was mostly complete, and the first batch of quarried stone blocks had arrived at the site.

Meanwhile, Raylo had gathered his elite forces to prepare for a hunt against the Blazing Phoenix occupying Silver Moon Castle.

Before the early morning mist had fully dissipated, the deep, somber call of a Horn cut through the clamor of the construction site, echoing in the sky above Black Stone Territory.

On the massive clearing outside the castle, the most elite forces of Black Stone Territory were rapidly assembling.

The Hill Giant Legion, wielding massive Double-Headed Warhammers, was arranged in a daunting phalanx.

Behind the Giant Legion was the Moonlight Knight Order.

One hundred and twenty Earth Dragon Knights sat steadily atop their ferocious mounts. In their hands, their Knight’s Long Spears pointed toward the sky, the tips glinting coldly in the morning light.

Sixty Griffin Knights and four hundred Pegasus Knights circled in the sky.

Sun.

Its massive, two-hundred-meter-long body was crouched quietly in the square. The Sun Crown Stone on its forehead, resembling a vertical eye, emitted a faint, majestic halo.

After a week of slumber and digestion, its injuries had fully healed, and its aura had become even more restrained and powerful than before.

It was waiting for a truly glorious battle of vengeance.

Raylo strode to the very front of the formation.

"My Lord!"

Ed, Alex, Bolin, and the other commanders saluted in unison.

Raylo nodded, his gaze sweeping over the powerful army he had personally forged.

His heart swelled with heroic pride.

"Our target: Silver Moon Castle!"

"Move out!"

With no further preamble, he gave the order to advance.

"ROAR!"

"AWOOO!"

The roars of the Hill Giants and the bellows of the Giant Beasts merged into an earth-shattering wave of sound that surged toward the heavens.

The great army began its slow advance.

However, just at the moment Raylo prepared to swing himself onto Baofeng’s back and lead the army off to war...

"SCREEE!"

A sharp, urgent cry came from the eastern horizon, rapidly drawing nearer.

A figure shot across the sky at astonishing speed, coming into view.

It was a Griffin Knight!

He hurried over to Raylo.

"My... my Lord! Urgent military intelligence!"

Raylo’s brow furrowed.

"Speak!"

"The Blazing Phoenix that was occupying Silver Moon Castle... It... it took its subordinate Fire Sparrows and Flying Magical Beasts and left!"

"What?"

Raylo’s pupils constricted.

"It left Silver Moon Castle?"

"Yes, my Lord!"

The Knight said breathlessly.

"This very morning, our Scouts witnessed it with their own eyes. The Phoenix led tens of thousands of Magical Beasts, forming a fire cloud that blotted out the sky, and left Silver Moon Castle!"

"Where did it go?"

Raylo pressed.

The Knight swallowed hard.

"It skirted the border of our territory and headed... headed due west!"

West!

The assembled army fell silent. All eyes were fixed on Raylo, waiting for his next command.

’Do we continue the advance and march on the now-empty Silver Moon Castle?’

’Or do we change direction and pursue the Phoenix’s army, destination unknown?’

Raylo did not give an order immediately.

His mind raced, countless pieces of intelligence and possibilities weaving and clashing together.

The Blazing Phoenix’s intelligence far surpassed that of any Magical Beast he had ever encountered.

It was patient, cunning, and decisive.

An opponent like that would never make such a major strategic maneuver without good reason.

’To abandon a lair it had held for days, lead its newly subjugated army of Magical Beasts on a detour of hundreds of kilometers, and head west...’

’Did the Blazing Phoenix know that reclaiming the Sun Crown Stone was hopeless, and choose to return to its old lair?’

The thought of leading the Black Stone Army in pursuit of this migrating horde of Magical Beasts crossed Raylo’s mind, but he ultimately discarded it.

’I can’t take that gamble.’

’I can’t commit all of Black Stone Territory’s elite forces to a long, drawn-out pursuit.’

’The Blazing Phoenix is notoriously difficult to kill. Even a Catastrophe Level Demon Serpent Avatar couldn’t stop it when it used its Talent Skill, Nirvana Fire, to create the Flame Star River.’

"Baofeng!"

Raylo made his decision.

"SCREEE!"

The Storm Griffin King let out a piercing cry, its massive wings snapping open.

Raylo vaulted onto Baofeng’s back in one clean, fluid motion.

"Sun!"

"ROAR!"

The Golden Dragon let out a low roar as it, too, unfurled its sky-blotting golden Dragon Wings, its enormous body slowly ascending.

The flames of vengeance still burned in its eyes.

"Ed! Kado!"

Raylo’s voice echoed from the sky.

"The army is to hold position and await my command!"

"Yes, my Lord!"

With the order given, Raylo didn’t hesitate for a second.

He patted Baofeng’s neck. Rider and dragon became two streaks of light—one yellow, one gold—that tore through the sky, racing straight toward the western border.

He had decided to go and confirm it with his own eyes.